DETROIT (WXYZ) — A Detroit man is being hailed as a hero after rescuing two of his neighbors from a burning home on the city's west side.
The Detroit Fire Department awarded Jamie White a civilian commendation Thursday for his life-saving actions during an early morning house fire on Jan. 23.
Watch Demetrios Sanders' video report below:
Lucille Williams and her roommate lost their home in the blaze. Williams recalled the terrifying moments when smoke filled the house and flames blocked the front door.
"All of a sudden, it was just smoke," Williams said.
With her primary escape route cut off, Williams rushed to her bedroom, shut the door and looked for another way out.
"The firefighters said if I had opened up my door, I would've been dead. So I thank God for letting me know I had to close that door and then I held my head out the window and saw my guardian angel, my hero coming around," Williams said.
That guardian angel was White, who has been her neighbor for more than three years.
"I heard 'help me' and my wife said fire, so she started calling 911 and I ran outside and seen Ms. Williams hanging out the window," White said.
Acting on faith and instinct, White rescued Williams before returning to the burning home a second time to pull her roommate to safety.
"God told me go get them. He said go get them, so that's what I did," White said.
Chuck Simms, executive fire commissioner with the city of Detroit, presented White with the commendation.
"His conduct reflects the highest ideals of courage, compassion and service to others," Simms said. "Mr. White's actions stand as a powerful example of the strength of community and the profile impact of individual bravery."
Since the fire, White's daughter and others in the community have called him a hero.
"I'm just being a human being. I makes me feels good that I'm appreciated for, I guess, the hard work that I've knocked out," White said.
Williams shared her gratitude for her now-former neighbor.
"I love him, I love him. Yes, I do," Williams said.
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